Srinagar: Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti has welcomed the remarks of senior RSS functionary Dattatreya Hosabale, who recently stated that people‑to‑people contact is essential for breaking the deadlock with Pakistan and that a window for dialogue should always remain open.
Calling it a welcome development, Mufti said the PDP—particularly under the leadership of Mufti Muhammad Sayeed—has consistently maintained that meaningful change and lasting peace in J&K require reopening channels of dialogue with Pakistan. She recalled that even former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee would often emphasise that while friends can change, neighbours cannot, underscoring the need for engagement despite tensions.
Speaking in an interview on Wednesday, Mufti said it was encouraging that the RSS General Secretary had publicly supported the idea of talks with Pakistan, adding that there is no alternative to dialogue. She drew parallels with global diplomacy, noting that even powerful nations like the United States and Israel, despite repeated confrontations with “a small country” Iran, ultimately felt compelled to negotiate with Tehran to resolve issues peacefully. Similarly, she said, a year after “Operation Sindoor,” there is growing realisation on both sides that dialogue is necessary to address differences—an understanding reflected in Hosabale’s remarks as well.
Mufti stressed that J&K witnessed clear benefits during earlier phases of India–Pakistan engagement under Vajpayee and Manmohan Singh, when the graph of militancy declined, arrests reduced, and human rights violations were at a minimum. In contrast, she described the current atmosphere in J&K as one of suffocation and surveillance, with government employees—particularly Muslims—being dismissed on allegations of anti‑national activity, homes being demolished on similar pretexts, and institutions including the Jamia Sira‑ul‑Uloom in Shopian being shut down. She argued that while drug traffickers should be punished, families should not be destroyed in the name of fighting the menace, and that even minor expressions of dissent now lead to FIRs or police summons.
Expressing hope, Mufti said that if India and Pakistan return to the negotiating table, the situation in J&K could improve significantly. She also welcomed reports that former diplomats and military officials from both countries are engaged in backchannel diplomacy to break the ice, calling it another positive sign.
Earlier, Hosabale had said in an interview with PTI Videos that Pakistan’s political and military leadership had lost India’s confidence and that civil society must now take the lead in rebuilding trust. While stressing that national security must be protected, he maintained that doors for dialogue should never be shut and that people‑to‑people contact remains the most effective way to overcome the stalemate.
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